After Shock
by Egyptian Princess
Summary: Blinded for her love, Serena has never been the same since her high school prom. Darien sinks deeper into depression when no one tells him of her condition, and his scars keep him from his promising life. The two meet once again...


"After Shock"

Authors Notes: It's that time of year, yet again. Prom, prom, prom, prom, prom, prom, prom, who cares about PROM! It's time for prom, and my whole school is talking about drinking and driving and what happens AFTER prom and the after prom party…I hope none of you are wondering what that is, because I don't want to have to explain it. This story is about what happens when there is an accident after prom, and our whole 'gang' is thrown into chaos and disorder. But something happens between two people, years on down the road, and everything turns out for the better. I think that this will be one of my more serious fics., and I hope you all love it. Here goes.

Your life is your own, and you make of it what you will.

**New Notes (As of Nov. 7, 2005 A.D.):**

**I hope no one will kill me for updating just this chapter at this stage, and I certainly don't want to lose any (more) readers. Anyone who reviewed years ago and has an email has already received an explanation and an apology. I wrote this story as a rant or model after a favorite book of mine. I had scenes prepared and then we got a new computer, and my story was lost, along with other precious memories. I also had in mind another story called _Love is Blind_ (clichéd, I do realize) that is along the same lines as _After Shock_, but was/am too afraid to put it down on paper. This story is a combination of _After Shock_ and _Love is Blind_. Maybe I'll be able to expand my imagination and come out of my writer's block slump. **

**As for now, this chapter is only rewritten to incorporate my new style, scenes, and themes that I will have to make use of in future chapters. I can't say that everything will be the same, and I hope that you like the changes. I can't promise that I will have another chapter out within the month, because the semester is ending and papers/exams are looming. The good news is that I have a month off for Christmas break, and I don't anticipate adding more work hours to my schedule. I _do_ anticipate secluding myself in my room or the library and writing until it hurts. I probably will need a little help idea-wise, so anyone with ideas, feel free to send them my way. **

**Once again, I am sorry for leaving this story for so long. I didn't realize that it interested so many people. I had left the fanfiction community for a while to focus on my studies, and now I'm just glowing with pride and happiness to be back. I'm more than willing to get to work on this story! Thank you all for reading this story, and as always, please review!**

**Thank you!**

After Shock: Chapter 1- How It All Got Started

Serena was walking home from school on a hot day. The sun was shining very brightly, and the world was beautiful. It was the end of spring, and everything was just right. She smiled quietly to herself, and walked into the cool arcade.

"Hello, Andrew," she greeted her friend brightly.

"Why, hello, Serena. Have a good day?"

"Yup! I got an eighty-nine on a math test, and I didn't get hit in the head with the soccer ball in P.E."

"That's great about the test," privately he thought that she was a little kooky. But she was an adorable little kook. "What'll it be today?"

"A chocolate shake, please. And the girls'll be here really soon, so they'll want some too."

"You girls sure do like chocolate, don't you? Aren't you afraid you'll get fat," came a very familiar voice from behind her. Darien was standing behind her, with a smile on his face, one he hardly ever wore. _Except _when he was daydreaming about a certain little blonde who just _happened_ to be sitting in front of him. Maybe the weather was getting to him.

"Yes, in fact, we do worry about our weight. And I've never seen you pass up a square of chocolate. _You_ might get fat."

Darien scoffed. "Men don't start getting fat until late in life when they're married with gray hair, and a beer belly."

"Who says you're a man," Andrew asked, coming back with the shake. "You're just my age, and I don't consider myself a man."

"That's because you're an honest, modest gentlemen. You're not like Darien, here," Serena said, jerking her thumb behind her. "He's a snobby, stuck up, cold jerk. He has no personality, and no social life."

"And you're a big crybaby who can't study to save her life," he retorted, eyes flashing. This was the best part! His stomach was doing cart-wheels.

Serena glared at him, and said haughtily, "I got an eighty-nine on a test today, so _apparently_, I did study."

Darien looked at her and thought how cute she looked when she was angry. That was the only reason he fought with her, because he wanted to see the flame spark in her eyes. He smiled, only a little, and turned away.

Serena grabbed her shake, and started to eat it rapidly. Much to her horror and Darien's amusement, she got a brain-freeze within a few seconds. She moaned and he snickered. She glared at the back of Darien's head, but her frown was turned into a smile when she heard her friends come in.

"Hey, Serena! You will never guess what! Raye is going to prom with Chad, and I'm going with Ken. Amy's gonna go with Greeeg," Lita commented in a teasing voice. Andrew had agreed to go with Mina, who, it so happened, was running for prom queen. They were all rooting for her; some of them rather loudly.

Amy blushed and sat down on the nearest stool. Lita grinned, and called for Andrew.

"Can we have some ice cream, Andrew?"

"Sure. Now what's this I hear about prom? I remember when I first went to prom. I actually went in my freshmen year."

"That's probably because every girl in high school was in love with your big blue eyes, and crazy smile. You are the biggest nut in the world Andrew, and you wouldn't even think of turning down a girl. That would hurt her feelings, and you can't do that. You're too good for that." Darien was becoming too petulant and jealous for his own good. Where was the composure and maturity that he normally prided himself on?

"Oh, be quiet, Darien. You're just an old stiff. You didn't go to prom at all. If my memory serves me well, you stayed home your junior _and_ senior year and studied," he said, emphasizing the last word with contempt.

"Well, I'm well on my way to becoming a doctor, and that studying paid off."

"No it didn't. I'm sorry to say that you have such a boring life."

Serena was holding her glass, nibbling on the straw, and formulating a plan. She was wondering if Darien would be able to be convinced of going to the prom with _her_. He missed out on it when he was in high school, even if it was his own fault. He was certainly handsome enough to get any girl he wanted… And besides, if Amy was going and missing some study time, Darien could certainly spare a few hours for getting out in the world, even if it _was_ a high school senior prom.

"Serena? Have you heard anything Amy said," Raye demanded.

"No, what was she saying," Serena inquired, coming out of her reverie.

"Serena, you are such a ditz. You have the attention span of a gnat."

"Don't talk to me like that. You have no right to talk to me like that! I was thinking of something rather important. I am a very smart person, and I don't appreciate being insulted by my _friends_ every day, and especially by you, Raye!" Serena got out of her seat and stomped out of the arcade.

Her eyes were welling up with tears. How annoying. It wasn't like she _wanted_ to cry. She felt like screaming, again…but it was her hormones' fault. She couldn't help herself; the tears ran down her face in a torrent. She ran and ran and ran until she came to her favorite park bench. It was right by the bay, and had a great view of the woods. It was still pretty light outside; it wasn't even 5:30 yet. She sat on the bench and thought of mean ways to get back at Raye, and then thought how stupid that would be. She wasn't very good at being mean to people.

She sat there for about an hour, and realized that her mother would be getting worried about her soon. So she got up, reached for her bag, and found air. Where was her bag? Where could she have left it? She looked under the bench and around a particularly large tree, but couldn't find it. . . Oh no! She had left it in the arcade! She groaned and slapped her forehead. Damn! It was probably locked up by now. She turned around and started to walk home past the arcade, gloomily. Oh, well. It's not like she was planning on doing her homework anyway.

She turned the corner and much to her surprise, she saw that the arcade was still open. She looked in the bay-window, and saw that Andrew was talking to Darien with a scowl on his face. She slid quietly into the arcade, and sat down inside one of the booths nearest to the bar where they were talking.

"Why can't you ever have a little fun? You'll study all the time, and that can't be much fun. You'll become a doctor, that's wonderful, but not much fun…except maybe for the cute nurses, but there won't be many of _them_. Then you'll spend the rest of your life being an old stick in the mud. You won't get married, you won't have kids, and you won't have any fun," Andrew was saying with a frown. He was never this harsh, but sometimes Darien needed a little push.

Darien looked up at him from his steaming drink. He was being totally serious. "Have you ever thought that helping people to become healthy and saving peoples' lives is a glorious thing? Studying will help me get there. And who wants the noise from kids and an annoying wife anyway? No, it's much easier to be alone and be happy. You can easily depend on yourself, and not have to worry about hurting someone else's feelings. And is that all you want in life? Fun? Well, you're in for a rude awakening, Andrew. Life is not all fun and games. There's a time to be sick, and a time to be scared, loving, happy, insane, and a bunch of other things. Life is not always fun."

"You'll never get anyone to love you, not unless they're feeling anything but pity for you," Andrew spat, fed up with the way he was being so stubborn. This man had a really thick skull. What he really needed was a swift kick in the pants or someone to fall in love with...

Darien glared at him and stood up from his stool, putting his coffee down. "I will do with my life as I please."

He started to walk out of the arcade, not noticing the blond crouching behind a booth seat, when Andrew called, "Hey, hold it, Darien." He picked up Serena's bag, and, walking around the counter, handed it to him. "Go take it to Serena."

"What are you _saying_! I don't even know where she lives!" Like hell he didn't...Okay, that was _way_ too stalker-ish.

Serena slipped out quietly, and ran to the end of the street, waiting to see if Darien would actually go find her.

Sure enough, three minutes later, Darien came out of the arcade with Andrew. Andrew locked up, and Darien hit him on the head with Serena's bag. She didn't need that textbook anyway; math was stupid. Darien said something, but Serena was too far away to hear him. She walked forward a little, and hoped that Darien would catch up with her.

She glanced behind her quickly, and saw that he was walking slowly towards her. She walked slowly away, so that he couldn't tell that she had been waiting for him.

Darien called out when he caught up to her, "Hey, Serena, you left your bag at the arcade. Andrew wanted me to give it back to you."

"Gee, thanks. I was looking all over for it…H-"

"I was rather surprised when you told Raye off today…You _are_ a smart person, and they shouldn't talk to you like that," he said evenly. She surprised him every day with her strength.

"Well, you talk to me like that," she said, shuffling her feet on the pavement.

"Yeah...I guess you're right. But I'm not really your friend."

"You-you're not? I thought you were," she said, looking at her feet and feeling about two-feet tall.

"But you don't like me. I didn't think you'd want to be my friend," he replied, a little more than shocked.

"Well, I do want you to be my friend. Will you be my friend? I'm only asking to make it formal," she said, grinning a little.

Darien thought about this for a split second. (Of course this will be the longest split second you've ever read:) Serena actually _wanted_ him to be her friend. He might, in reality, have a chance to make her like him! This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Serena was asking, and he was willing. I say go for it.

"I'd be honored to be your friend, Serena," he said softly, taking her hand.

"Really," she cried, taking his other hand in hers and holding them tightly.

"Really." The things she did to him with just a touch were incredible. What would it be like to hold her and … kiss her, he wondered.

"Wow, that's...great! It never hurts to have too many friends, you know. Well, I'd better get going. It's getting late, and mom will be getting worried. I'll see you tomorrow! Bye," She said, ran off, turned and waved, and ran again.

"Well, that's something I never expected would happen," Darien muttered to himself, totally bewildered and elated by this turn of events.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Darien and Serena became closer friends. They joked and teased. They flirted and exchanged words of wisdom. The seeds of love had been sown a long time ago, however, and they were just feeding the fire. Somehow, with all her charm in her eyes, Serena convinced Darien to go to the prom with her. It wasn't as hard as it looked to Serena, she held all the cards. Darien was shocked and startled, and then softened when Serena batted her eyes at him.

Why do girls always do that, he wondered. It never works…Okay, okay, it does in this case, he admitted to himself. I guess I should be a little excited about going to the prom. But I'm in college, he thought with a sigh...A little embarrassing to say the least. He get to dance with her, though, and that had to be a plus.

The prom was three days away, and silly enough as it was, Darien was actually excited. He was going to get a new tuxedo, his old one was well past worn out. He was going to charm her off her feet and show her the best time of her life. If it turned out that it was the best thing he had ever done for himself, then so be it. Life was looking up, now that Serena was with him. He felt more alive than he had ever felt in his life before. When he looked into her eyes and saw the happiness she embodied, he wanted to melt into her and sleep peacefully in her smile.

Serena could hardly wait for what was going to happen. Darien was _actually_ going to go to the prom with her. She surprised even herself by asking him. The girls were more than happy to see that their best friend was finally taking matters into her own hands; it had taken her far too long to admit that she liked the guy. Serena was going to be beautiful that night, and make it a night that he would always remember. She wanted the night to be perfect for the both of them. Visions of romance danced in her head when she climbed into bed the night before the prom, and they all seemed to end with the perfect kiss that she had yet to receive. He deserved to be happy. She promised that she would make him happy if it killed her.

I hope you'll all come back for part 2! Egyptian Princess. Good luck and God bless.

**Please don't kill me. I hope you liked it! I tried not to deviate to far from what I had originally, but I'm not that great with change. It takes me a while to get used to. Please send me some lovely emails to brighten my day and enlighten the way for the rest of the story. Love you all! Many smiles all around. Egyptian Princess--revised 2005.**


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